A couple of years ago, I served as the organizer for the Saratoga Native American Festival (2006 and 2007). During the 2007 festival, I had the opportunity to sit in with Abenaki storyteller, author and linguist, Jesse Bruchac, for the first song of his set. Below are two cuts, the first is Jesse on drum [...]

In 1995, I earned my first and only producer (co-producer, actually) credits for my then fiancee’s childrens music recording project “Walk Around the Block”. Billed by her maiden name, which she used for performances, Rebecca Golden wrote eight delightful songs that are so addictive, people actually wore out their cassette versions playing them for their [...]

I was with Salamander from 93 to 96. I knew Justin Cayou and Brian Sullivan from high school – as well as the semester I spent at Washington State University. While I was still in the army, stationed at Fort Lewis, I started coming up to Seattle and seeing old friends. One weekend, someone invited [...]

Yeah, so they are a wee bit saccharine, but don’t hate them because they’re sweet. These two are both wedding songs. The first I wrote for my dear friend Brian Webb on the occasion of his marriage to Julie. Sadly they divorced some time ago. Don’t know what ever happened to Julie, but Brian is [...]

Finally found it. Erik Rockom and I were discussing this song here where I posted a rough track of it. Bruce Huber’s friend Tom (Daley?) plays drums, someone I can’t remember is on organ (Erik Huber or the engineer guy?), and of course, Erik Rockom on guitar. And possibly bass? Oh, the sixties were bad [...]

Back in 1990, Erik Huber and I set about to record a theme album about an old man who confronts his inner demons. We called it Since Childhood (I introduced it in this post). The inimitable Emily Kate Hall is the female vocalist… Without apologies for its synth patina, from the cassette vault: sc-02-coming_home.mp3Enable Javascript [...]

Side B of Since Childhood (introduced here). In case you missed Side A, you can find it here. This time, I want to give Steve Scalfati a shout out for his collaboration and creativity. He was listed as the “one-take wonder” in the liner notes. So true. Without continued lack of apologies for its synth [...]

Just discovered this one on an unlabeled CD. Apparently, I had made a decent cassette to digital copy of Oilspills and Daffodils – and tracked over it with some organ and bass. I also appear to have fixed the sharp vocal note on “just”. Here’s the plain cassette master version. My continued appreciation to Jayson [...]

Back in 1996, Joe Rojo invited me to play flute on his Holiday Reunion album released on Global Pacific Records. I was flown down to California where we stayed on a relaxing horse ranch and made music in a fine recording studio. Joe is still making music in Seattle at Martin’s Off Madison. The title [...]

I am *this* close to finding the missing Traveling Song from the Hyde Street session. Damn. I did, however, find School Daze. I know I’m going to mess this up, but Erik Rockom is on bass and guitar, Jayson BiNary Ramos on rap, Steve Scalfati on sax, the engineer guy (whose name eludes me) on [...]

In 1995, my friend Havilah Rand asked me to lay some flute on a track or two for her demo. The track below is Release Me from that session (© Sweetie Pants Music). I recently got back in touch with Havilah via Facebook (all praise the Facebook gods). I’m pleased to find out that she’s [...]

Ah, back to 1992 with Erik Huber. These were collected in one sitting, me at the piano playing songs and sharing ideas for production. The Traveling Song showed up again during the Hyde Street Studio sessions, but I haven’t been able to locate a copy of that one. Perhaps Jayson or Huber or Rockom has [...]

Also from 1992 or thereabouts, I had shared my song Premeditated Life with Erik Huber (the first version below). While he was in Placerville, California, and I was stationed at Fort Ord, he orchestrated and laid down the tracks for a new version (second below). All credit goes to Erik for the arrangement – and [...]

With an $800 loan from my Dad, I booked some studio time at the Hyde Street recording studios in San Francisco and invited a bunch of friends to come play. My memory is failing, but I think it was 1993 or thereabouts. Pretty sure it was when I was in the army – Erik Huber [...]

1995 was a pretty active musical year. Salamander released Catalyst – and Rebecca Golden (my wife) came out with her children’s album ‘Walk Around the Block’. When I can find them, I’ll post those tunes. A while later, Becca and I started working on another kid’s project, but never finished it. Here are the initial [...]

Back in August of 1999, Erik Rockom, Donovan Curry and (I have recently been reminded) Bryan McGriff were chilling out in Erik’s living room working the 4-track. With Erik on bass, Donovan on percussion, Bryan on shaker, and me on piano and flute (though obviously not all at once)… erik_mark_kitchen_sink.mp3Enable Javascript to play audio content [...]

I’m working on a separate page for Salamander. I’ll be putting pictures and more tunes as I get them online. I was with the band from 93 to 96. We were very active on the Seattle scene, playing several shows a week and performing from Vancouver, BC to Stanford, CA. Here’s Salamander at the Starlight [...]